The new movie “Rush” is about the fierce rivalry between Formula One stars James Hunt and Niki Lauda during the 1976 racing season. In my wholly subjective opinion, it’s one of the best racing movies to come along, better than such stalwarts as “Le Mans” and “Grand Prix.” In “Rush,” at least, the actors are given as good lines as the cars.

But the most searing scene aspect of “Rush” is its realistic portrayal of the centerpiece accident of that season, when Lauda crashed during the 1976 German Grand Prix at the Nurburgring. In the movie, you can see the car skittering sideways and bursting into flame. Lauda was extricated after about a minute, but the damage had been done, both to his face and his lungs. He survived and went on to race, but he was scarred for life.